<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Cuddle Puddle by LordTraco</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28166286">Cuddle Puddle</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LordTraco/pseuds/LordTraco'>LordTraco</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Half-Life</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Couch Cuddles, Friendship, Gen, Introspection, Pining, Platonic Cuddling, Touch-Starved</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:00:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,377</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28166286</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LordTraco/pseuds/LordTraco</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Gordon is touch-starved and his roommate Benrey would prefer the human not starve. Nobody tell Benrey that it's not something as deadly as starving!</p><p>Featuring Benrey's strange ways of texting, Tommy, Darnold, and a hint of budding Frenrey pining if you squint.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>79</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Cuddle Puddle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This started as a way to vicariously experience cuddling while stuck at home, but the second I read some PREMIUM angst from Alvinna's latest chapter of Becoming Human, I needed fluff badly. (I doubt anyone reading this hasn't read Becoming Human, but if you haven't please go read it, it's amazing!)</p><p>Posted from mobile, not beta read, all fluffy friendship goodness. Enjoy!</p><p> </p><p>(This can work in the canon of Olive Branch, but I don't know where or when so it gets to live on its own here.)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"Touch-starved? You can starve for touching things?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No-yes, kinda. Humans are pack animals and we bond through touch but we've socialized ourselves to think you can only touch someone you're romantically into and-"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Huh. Neat lore!" Benrey put a hand to Gordon's shoulder like it was no big deal. "Side quest unlocked: Feed the starving Feetman."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gordon didn't say much, choosing to lean his head towards Benrey's hand. After a moment he raised his shoulder to capture it there. Benrey's hand was chilly at first but warmed in time spent against his cheek. Every moment longer that it lasted, Gordon's anxieties of pushing too far or making things weird faded a little more.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When a second hand appeared on the top of his head, he caught a glimpse, just a fraction of a second, of Benrey's uncertain look. The look screamed "where's a walkthrough when you need one?". It broke the mood and Gordon couldn't help but laugh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Bro I'm making sure you Don't Starve and you're letting your sanity meter drop!" He sounded a bit offended, but his hands didn't move. He also looked worried, and Gordon supposed that with so little information, Benrey might actually think that a lack of touch would kill him at this point.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What?? No just. Here." Gordon nudged closer to Benrey to wrap him in a hug, "do this please?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Benrey mimicked the motion and Gordon rested his head on Benrey's shoulder, reveling in the warmth and close contact. It really was an accurate description, touch starved, as he felt like crying in relief just being held like this. He was grateful that Benrey was or at least pretended to be clueless about how much intimacy this could hold. Nothing about his earlier expressions or movements showed an unwillingness for this to happen. That was enough to quiet his worries some.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Bro I got an idea."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hm?" Gordon had to remind himself not to fall asleep in Benrey's arms. It was strange to find comfort and safety in his former enemy's arms, but not strange enough to make him stop.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Cuddle puddle. Call over the whole Science Team. Make sure we all Don't Starve Together." Gordon couldn't see his face, but he felt the soft rumbling of a laugh from Benrey. At his own not-quite-jokes. It was endearingly silly, but he lost the thought as the proposed idea fleshed out in his mind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I…" Gordon tightened the hug, thoughts stuck on Dr. Coomer's many clones and their attempt to hijack his body. He thought of Bubby's constant look of disappointment or disdain even before the outright betrayal. Maybe he'd feel differently if they were around, but the idea of holding them close for any length of time unsettled him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Just Tommy and Darnold?" Benrey asked casually, likely messing with his phone behind Gordon's back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That eased his nerves. Sure he didn't know Darnold much, but it wouldn't hurt to ask. Gordon nodded, pinching a little at Benrey's hoodie absentmindedly and rubbing the fabric between his fingers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Cool man! Lemme just find a science gif."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Gif." Gordon corrected, making a J sound.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Jot it Jordon Freeman." Benrey teased.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Fuck off," He said without any bite, "why do you even need a gif anyways?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You really seriously pronounce it that way?" When his question got no response, Benrey rotated partially out of the hug to show Gordon his phone. Still a hand remained at his back, an intentional lifeline.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Benrey's phone showed texts back and forth from him and Darnold. Except "texts" was a strong word. They were just brief conversations made from gifs of scientists from various movies saying "what time" and "how are you" and answering. There wasn't a lick of actual text between them. Just gifs. The latest one was a real life lady hugging a robot as it slowly hugged her back followed by a. No.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You did not make pictures of my feet into a goddamn gif just to say 'at Gordon's place'!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It's not a common line in movies, man. And you're a scientist, it fits the theme."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Why do you need to- no first things first, ask Tommy." He said, curious as to what gifs his texts to Tommy would contain.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There were none. Where at least in the Darnold texts there were actual words, this was…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This was chaos. It was all emojis, but the long forms created using Japanese and other specialized characters. His brain supplied "ASCII art" but he wasn't sure if that adequately described this mess.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He recognized a date from when the whole team had a movie night the other week. He remembered telling Benrey to invite Tommy over for 7pm. And he'd arrived at 7pm.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>How that was conveyed through a person laying sideways with another one wearing glasses, he had no idea. But those were the only two texts from that date. What were they reinventing hieroglyphs?? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With the same hesitance he would approach a live grenade, Gordon let his eyes lower to see what Benrey was typing. There was a bunch of ASCII options popping up, but he settled on a table flip, a dancing Kirby, and what looked to be a person with nubby arms and a cat mouth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I'm not even gonna ask. I'm not." Gordon looked at Benrey's smug little grin indignantly. "I have absolutely no desire to figure out this. You two are just psychics. That's all."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Conspiracy theories and mispronounced letters? Jordon Feetman the n00b over here!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What other option is there? There is no possible way any of that relays information!!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Cat's pupils dilate later in the day."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"How does that have to do with-" He was cut off as Benrey shoved his phone into Gordon's hand and pointed excitedly. Like Joshua did when he found worms.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Bigger the eye, later in the day."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"...if I were a linguist I would study this for a thesis."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I just like giving everyone their own sorta Sweet Voice, bro."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gordon let that scramble around in his brain a moment, but it was lost because Benrey moved to hook arms with Gordon so he could use both hands. He made up for the loss of touching surface area by sitting closer so the sides of their legs touched.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Is that why you always send me memes?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Duh. Top 10 anime betrayals, you always call instead of responding in kind."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No." Benrey stilled at Gordon's sudden change in demeanor.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Right. Sorry." Betrayal was still not something Gordon liked brought up, especially in that context, and especially not by Benrey. They'd talked about it, but it still slipped out sometimes. Benrey was getting better about apologies, but typically he'd run away after one.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gordon felt a little bad to have inadvertently trapped Benrey, but all the better to show him he could fail and not be hated.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"More like top ten Unsolved Mysteries, why this alien answers me in memes." Gordon said, carrying the joke someplace safer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Local cryptid doesn't get that his friend's trying to give more oomf to his weak ass language, more at 6." Benrey chuckled again, the previous hesitance gone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Oh now I'm the cryptid?" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Bigfoot."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A doorbell rang and he heard the sound of Tommy letting himself and Darnold in. Gordon trusted Tommy with his life, so it was only fitting he have a key and be able to get in at any time. It meant not having to get up, which was nice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It also meant Tommy and Darnold seeing the two of them sitting on the couch with arms interlocked and Benrey's head on his shoulder and-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Dude your heart's freaking out. Your HP low or something?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I. No touch. For a little." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Benrey shrugged and moved a couple inches away. "Too much touch already? Need calming blue voice?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gordon shook his head, trying to steady his breathing. It was dumb to freak out over this like a teenager caught hugging a friend in front of some rumor-prone classmates, but it's exactly how he felt.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We heard it was time for cuddles?" Tommy asked, joining then in the living room. "Darnold brought soda so we can cuddle faster!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gordon exhaled a soft laugh, calmed a little just by Tommy's voice. He wouldn't judge. Nor would Darnold.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"The Feetman needs a minute, but the Pro Cuddler DLC is here to keep away touch starvation status effects." Benrey said, storing his phone in his hoodie pocket and opening up his arms.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tommy wasted no time in sitting on his lap sideways, resting his side against Benrey, who held him close. They both looked so content.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A bit of unexpected jealousy bubbled up in Gordon. Instead of fighting it, he analyzed it. It was just fear. Fear that he would be too afraid to do that with Benrey. Fear that somehow someone else being intimate with Benrey meant he couldn't.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was easy to dispel that fear when Benrey reached an arm his way, wordlessly offering the same for him. That probably wouldn't be comfy for the others if he sat on both their laps, however.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wait.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hey what if we tossed a bunch of pillows down?" Gordon asked, standing up. "I have a metric ton of them."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yoooo final boss cuddling stage bring it on!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I can help if you like." Darnold offered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When they reached the hall closet there truly were a ton of blankets and pillows. As any good pillow-fort master dad should have. He and Darnold took a little to put the pillow cases on each one.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Thank you for inviting me, by the way. I'm usually so engrossed in work I forget I have friends."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You and me both! But I can't take the credit, it was Benrey's idea to invite more of the Science Team. I didn't have the heart to tell him touch starvation doesn't kill."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It does negatively affect one's mental and physical health, so it's not a fully incorrect conclusion."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yeah. Man, it's well. It's really nice knowing I can just call any of you up for something like this. I don't mean to get emotional about it but…"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"May I hug you, Dr. Freeman?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Of course!" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Darnold, despite being taller, was actually an under the arm hugger like Benrey. Gordon patted his back, trying once again not to fall asleep in the arms of someone who made him feel safe. He really needed that caffeine from the soda Darnold always smelled faintly of.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You're a good hugger, but I think the others are gonna fall asleep on the couch if we leave them too long."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I'm willing to bet that ship has sailed."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Whoever is wrong has to distribute the soda." Gordon said, choosing the softest punishment for a bet he'd ever thought of.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Tommy liked the orange cans." Darnold teased in a helpful tone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And he was right. After dropping his pillows, Gordon snapped his finger in an exaggerated motion of a cartoon character missing a target. It earned him a chuckle as he went to get drinks from the kitchen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was silly. Normally he'd expect to be drinking alcohol to lower inhibitions enough to not care if he touched his friends. But instead they just had sugary acid water to keep them awake. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everyone here was a masculine-presenting adult ready to expressly consent to touch and cuddle each other like it was nothing. There was no masculinity at stake, no worries of it seeming to be done with romantic or sexual intent, no nothing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He glanced to the sofa where Tommy now lay across both of the others' laps and Benrey had his head on Darnold's shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If he had sweet voice it'd be making jealous colors. He grabbed the imagined bubble in his mind again, prying it open. Fear of being unwelcome, fear of losing those he held dear, fear of unreciprocated feelings. Neat. He let the bubble go and imagined it fading as he took a sip of much more real bubbles in the form of soda. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was wanted. He was welcome. He wasn't losing anyone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Soda?" He asked when he stepped in the living room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The speed at which Tommy and Benrey tore off the couch to guzzle down their sodas had him in stitches. They were like feral hogs when it came to soda. Weirdest friends ever and he loved it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They both dragged him to the new pile of pillows before pausing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You good with touch now?" Benrey asked, and it made sense why he'd only pulled on his sleeve.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You'll tell us if it gets too much, right? Tap an SOS if you lose your voice?" Tommy asked, hand still interlocked with Gordon's. They really had this all planned out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Darnold clarified the unspoken question, "I fell asleep on Tommy once and he panicked in silence about being trapped. SOS tap is what we worked out to never let that happen again."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We really called in the cuddle champs! Less grinding for cuddling EXP." Benrey still hadn't let go of his sleeve and Gordon decided to ease whatever worries he might be feeling about earlier with a hug.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Well, a hug and an intentional fall into the pillow pile. The others joined in quickly and Gordon found himself with Benrey laying comfortably on top of him (using his rib cage as a pillow), Tommy on top of one of his arms cuddled against his side, and Darnold holding his hand while curled up behind Tommy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His hand was going to go numb soon but he didn't mind. They'd swap soon. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the meantime, he indulged his curiosity and put a gentle hand to Benrey's hair. His friend made a sound not unlike a cat when awoken, but otherwise seemed unfazed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gordon started twirling locks of his hair and was pleased to feel Benrey relax against him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You found his weak spot." Tommy said, a hand deliberately raising towards Gordon's hair now. "Avenging friend."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gordon sighed contentedly while Tommy carded through his hair and Darnold massaged his right hand with warm, deft fingers applying pressure where he needed it most.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Caffeine lost its hard fought battle with the heavenly bliss Gordon felt surrounded by friends so warm and soft and safe. He fell asleep knowing all was right with the world.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hope you liked it! Let me know if you want a continuation including Bubby and Dr. Coomer. Benrey has special ways he texts them as well~</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>